WERA089: Potato Virus Disease Control
Statement of Issues and Justification
Virus diseases in potatoes create a costly situation requiring limited generation seed programs and incorporating the use of multiple pesticides to minimize the loss of yield and quality in commercial crops. Some of the more prevalent viruses of potatoes include alfalfa mosaic virus, Potato leaf roll virus, Potato virus M, Potato virus S, Potato Virus X and Potato virus Y (PVY). Many of these viruses have been causing crop yield losses for decades and in the west, the dominant cultivar, Russet Burbank, is very susceptible to a wide range of virus diseases. Release of new varieties highly susceptible to PVY has dramatically increased issues with this virus throughout the western potato growing regions. Substantial yield losses and rejections for certification of seed lots have resulted in tremendous dollar losses to growers. PVY is of particular concern because insecticides have shown little effectiveness for control and other management options such as rouging do not work for managing this virus. Additionally, multiple strains of the virus now occur through out the western growing region creating difficulties in identification and further exasperating the efforts to reduce the impact of PVY.There are also the public and environmental concerns surrounding the use of pesticides on potatoes. Potato growers are facing the potential loss of key pesticides because of cancellation of registration while facing the difficulties of developing new information for re-registration or development of new pesticides which is becoming more difficult each year. Additionally, pest resistance to current pesticides is always of concern. Certainly, the loss of pesticides or loss of effectiveness will increase yield and quality losses if alternative solutions are not developed.
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